The Evolution of Tactility (amongst other things)
by TheSilverArgents
Summary: "It was quite gradual, the realization that he didn't know how not to touch someone."


_A/N: It's just a person headcanon of mine that the first few months of their courting was surprising (on Katherine's end) because Jack Kelly is a super tactile human being who cannot keep his hands to himself especially when he's around Katherine._

Katherine Plumber had learned from a very young age that the most a couple (courting or married) cannot show much affection outside of holding hands and kissing on the cheek if they were in public. It became quite apparent to her that Jack Kelly had not learned that lesson at all. He. Was. Always. Touching. Her. It was quite gradual, the realization that he didn't know how not to touch someone. She noticed the way he'd act around the boys; always punching Davey lightly in the shoulder, mussing up one's hair, the way he'd always stand closer to Crutchie than the others as if he was trying to make sure he would be able to catch him if he fell, and how he'd hug the younger kids closer to him.

Two weeks into their courtship she realized that whenever he held her hand he'd always be tracing circles or other absent-minded patters into the other side of her hand. If he wasn't holding her hand then he'd be doing something else that required touching her. If she was at the typewriter he'd patiently sit next to her and sketch something (usually her), but every once in a while he'd reach over to brush a strand of hair out of her face and his fingers would linger on her cheek for what seemed an eternity until he pulled away and continued drawing.

* * *

About a month or two into their relationship, Jack realized that pulling her onto his lap in front of Spot Conlon and some of his Newsies, for heaven's sake, was the most normal thing to do. Katherine, of course, nearly jumped all the way to California and she heard her mother's voice in head, "In front of God and all of New York to see! Katherine Lucille Pulitzer, remember everything you were taught." She sat there stiffly for a moment or two as Jack chatted away with Spot Conlon as if he hadn't noticed anything was wrong.

Slowly, Jack's free hand twined itself with one of hers and she could suddenly breathe again. He looked up at her for a moment while Spot went on about this and that and smiled at her, allowing her to get up if she still wanted to, she realized. She smiled back and leaned against him so the she was comfortable and he pressed his nose to her cheek, a stupid smile worming its way onto his face. Spot Conlon rolled his eyes and asked if they were done with the mushy stuff.

No they weren't because a week or so later, Jack decided that kissing her in front of the entire union was sane. It wasn't just a peck, either. It was something that left them both gasping for air and his newsboy cap on the ground. She suddenly realized how he must have felt that day on his rooftop. The boys whooped and hollered, even when they pulled away and Katherine was as red as one of Medda's dresses. She raised her eyebrows at him questioningly.

"What?" He shrugged, picking his cap up from the ground, "I missed ya."

"You walked me to work this morning, Kelly." She retorted without any venom as she straightened out her shirt and tried to get the damn blushing under control.

"Well, Ace." He winked at her and she swore she was about to kiss him, "It's been a long ten hours."

* * *

She'd been gone for two weeks and he was starting to get impatient. Katherine was off on some trip to Albany with her mother, sisters, and two of her friends from school and was supposed to be getting back sometime this evening on the train, but knowing that she was so close and so far at the same time he decided to busy himself with teaching younger boys to sell papes. He still sold papers, not as often as he used to, but he'd go two or three days out of the week just to scrape together some extra money (being a political cartoonist didn't make you rich, you know) and help out the boys.

The November air was chilly, but the sun's presence warmed it up to a nice, cool temperature. He was directing a new boy on who to sell to when suddenly he heard a shout of his name. His head snapped up and he saw her standing a couple yards away from him, flanked by two blonde girls. He inhaled sharply through his nose and took off running towards her at the same time she did. Her friends followed uncertainly and seemed to regret it the moment Katherine all but jumped on Jack when she kissed him.

He moved his arms to encircle her waist and hold her a bit closer to him. Her hands were in his hair and she was standing on the tips of her toes to kiss him with everything she had. When they pulled away from each other she beamed up at him, trying to catch her breath, "I missed you."

"Missed you too, Ace. I thought I was gonna have to wait another six hours." He kissed her again, but slower this time, trying to memorize and savor every second of it.

"I convinced Clara and Adelaide to take the afternoon train instead." She said between kisses, "Mother, Constance, and Edith are arriving later tonight." Something seemed to suddenly register in her mind and she pulled away from him immediately. He was confused for a second, but saw the shocked faces of the girls he guessed were Adelaide and Clara and he had the decency to look sheepish as he smiled at them.

"Um, who is this?" asked the shorter blonde who's cheeks were a little bit pink.

Katherine was about to answer, but the taller blonde replied, "Don't be thick, Adelaide. That's Katherine's suitor." Jack almost snorted at the word, but held it in as Katherine introduced him to the girls

Adelaide smiled shyly and didn't say anything when he shook her hand. When he shook Clara's she asked, "Would you like to join us for lunch? What they served on the train was alright, but it was more of a breakfast, I suppose."

He shook his head, "Nah, you guys go ahead. I'm helpin' a couple of these boys out with their papes."

The girls nodded, but Katherine asked, "Are we still going to dinner at Davey's like you said in your letter?"

Jack nodded, "For sure, Davey told me she's making enough food to feed the city. She might have a heart attack if she finds out you're already here."

"Alright, see you at eight." She tip-toed up to kiss his cheek, but he turned at the last moment to press his lips to hers. They could've stayed like that forever except one of the boys Jack was helping was tugging on his shirt.

"See ya later, Ace." He sighed happily before bending down to the boy's level to help him count how many papes he had left.

* * *

Katherine sighed and walked back to her friends who had moved away during her and Jack's final exchange.

"I wish your mother had been here to see the look on her face when you jumped on him." Clara sniggered as she and Adelaide locked one of their arms with either of Katherine's, forcing her to stay in the middle and talk about it as they walked. She shouldn't have expected anything else.

"I didn't jump on him." She retorted defensively, "He doesn't look all that tall, but kissing him is practically a chore because he has to bend down or I have to stand on my toes. Eventually, he's just sort of holding me up." She drifted off for a moment, while Clara laughed and Adelaide blushed a little.

"It doesn't bother you? Being so open and so…tactile?" Adelaide asked in that timid way of hers.

"Oh trust me, Addie. He's much more tactile than I am. But, I think that when you care about someone as much as we care about each other, it stops mattering. You kind of just want everyone to know that you're in love with that person, propriety be damned."

"Well congratulations, all of East 53rd knows you're in love now." Clara laughed as Katherine halted them in their tracks, her eyes wide.

"What is it?" Adelaide asked, concern etching her pixie-like features.

"I'm in love with him." Katherine whispered dumbly.

"You mean you didn't know?" Clara asked incredulously. The two blondes stared at their friend in awe.

"Even I knew." Adelaide admitted with a raised eyebrow. "It was pretty obvious, you spent the entire train ride home drawing a 'J' on the napkin."

Katherine bumped her hip and Adelaide bumped back. Clara started chuckling, "I can't believe you didn't know until you said it. It's like you found out by accident." That made her and Adelaide bust out laughing loudly as Katherine pursed her lips, waiting for them to finish.

When their laughter finally began to subside, Katherine announced, "I hope you fall in love one day, Clara, and that you realize it out of nowhere too."

Clara rolled her eyes, "I don't need a man, I'm going to be the greatest nurse there's ever been. Maybe, I'll even be a doctor, but watch, a man's going to need me."

"You don't want me to fall in love?" Adelaide asked.

"Addie, you're already in love with Bill. You just haven't said anything yet." Katherine giggled.

The shorter girl turned red and declared, "I am not in love with Bill!"

"Very convincing." Clara nodded sarcastically as she fixed the green scarf around her neck.

Adelaide's blush moved down to her neck and Katherine grinned getting an idea, "You know, Clara, there's this friend of Jack's named Davey, he's a really nice b-"

"If you're going to set me up." Clara cut her off staring straight ahead, "Wait until I'm halfway done with my studies, alright?"

Adelaide squeezed Katherine's arm with a smile, "Hold her to it."

Clara decided to change the topic and turned to Katherine, "So, are you going to tell him?"

Katherine stopped for a moment, though back on the past eight months, and whispered, "For sure."


End file.
